Catégorie : Sport News

Toto Wolff and Max Verstappen belong to arch-rival camps — Mercedes and Red Bull. The hostility seen between the two sides over the last decade has hardly been seen between any other two teams.

Yet, Wolff believes that he always had a ‘correct relationship’ with Verstappen. But the controversial year of 2021 gave a huge blow to the personal rapport between Wolff and the Verstappens.

“On drivers, Jos, Max, and I, we always had a correct relationship. It suffered a bit in 2021 because it got dirty from both sides,” said Wolff on Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard podcast.

The 2021 season was one of the most intense seasons in the history of Formula 1. Both Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton were at each other’s throats across the season, which led to multiple collisions and crashes.

The on-track feud spiraled in both teams’ garages and even involved Wolff and Red Bull boss Christian Horner having a war of words during media interviews. Even the end of 2021 was controversial as the Abu Dhabi GP race saw a last-minute modification in rules, resulting in Max’s maiden championship win.

For the next couple of months, the F1 world kept discussing the controversial end. Nevertheless, as time went by, both drivers moved on from that event and maintained a cordial relationship in the paddock.

But coming to Wolff, he once again found himself in yet another conflict involving Max recently. But this time, it was for his other driver George Russell.

Wolff supported Russell amidst a spat with Max

During this year’s Qatar Grand Prix, Max and Russell had a feud. The argument between the two drivers prolonged till the last Grand Prix weekend of the season when Russell extensively spoke in the media against Max.

The Brit even called Max a bully before holding a press conference which was joined by Wolff. However, this time, Wolff didn’t directly attack Max. Rather Wolff kept his attack on Horner.

But surely, the symbolic support to Russell wouldn’t improve the ‘correct relationship’ with the Verstappens. Not long ago, Max was a candidate for Wolff to replace Ferrari-bound Hamilton. It would be safe to say that after the recent comments by Wolff and Russell, Mercedes wouldn’t be a destination for Max in the near future.

The 2024 F1 season concluded its record 24-race calendar with a grueling triple-header of races. While the iconic Vegas Strip was once again an attractive destination for the sport, the turnaround from Las Vegas to Qatar was quite taxing. Journalists like Chris Medland and Lawrence Barretto suggested that a change is needed in this aspect of the F1 schedule.

On the Pad-Hoc podcast, Medland recounted the harrowing hours spent in Vegas and how it rendered him impossible to cover the Qatar GP the next weekend. He even went as far as recounting how he had to take naps between Q1 and Q2 during qualifying in Qatar to ensure that his cognitive abilities were functioning well as a journalist of his caliber should have.

“Going into Qatar, I really struggled then,” revealed Medland. Given the late-night shifts that the F1 crew has to pull at Las Vegas, Medland and Barretto suggested that the Grand Prix weekend should not be clubbed with recurring races.

“[It took] seven, eight, nine days after Vegas to finally get over the Vegas timezone. It is rough. That’s the one thing I would always say that F1 could do better… is make Vegas standalone. Just enjoy it for the event it is, it’s great but it’s exhausting”, Medland added.

And while Medland struggled to keep his wits about himself, Barretto really had a proper burn-out during the Grand Prix weekend at Las Vegas. Barretto’s physical condition was for everyone to see as he struggled to even conduct the post-race interviews in Qatar.

Does F1 need to rethink its racing calendar?

The fans tuning into the Qatar GP post-race interviews were greeted by a Lawrence Barretto that they hadn’t ever seen before. The Briton’s voice was breaking and it was pretty obvious that the weekend in Las Vegas had really taken a toll on him.

Barretto was pretty vocal about the struggles he faced. Moreover, he explained that owing to the tremendous physical stress of covering these events, and the time zones, he wasn’t able to attend events organized by the F1 teams.

In the end, it isn’t only the F1 crew members and journalists who have spoken out against this. Noticeably, Max Verstappen has himself called the sport out for the calendar it runs today citing the health of the crew members of each team and the general people working in and for the sport.

With Nick Kyrgios gearing up for his return to the ATP Tour, Pat Rafter is one of the many looking forward to his comeback. Rafter has labeled the 29-year-old as a “talented” player and made a bold prediction about his chances in the Australian Open 2025. However, his recent remarks have brought attention to their past squabble, particularly when Kyrgios referred to Rafter as “clueless”.

In January 2023, Rafter appeared on the Happy Slam podcast, where he discussed the Australian Open 2022 doubles champions. Despite their victory, the Australian legend was critical of Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis’ conduct, comparing their behavior to that of a “circus.”

“I don’t know how that operates with them and doesn’t really bother me either way. It’s a bit of a circus…” Rafter said.

Kyrgios, well-known for responding to his critics, did just that. He slammed the former World No.1’s “circus” take, calling him “clueless.”

“He would have absolutely zero idea on what the locker room thinks. Me and kokk have great relationships with most of the players on tour. Guy is clueless,” he commented on X.

Rafter chose not to escalate the situation by responding to Kyrgios’ social media remarks. Almost two years later, the two-time Grand Slam champion appears to have put the incident behind him, praising Kyrgios ahead of his return to the tour.

Rafter wouldn’t be surprised to see Kyrgios in the 2025 Australian Open semifinal

Nick Kyrgios has been absent from the ATP tour for a large part of the past two years. Undoubtedly, his return to action has been widely discussed within the tennis community.

Pundits have differing predictions for Kyrgios’ performance in the Melbourne-based Grand Slam. But Rafter is confident that the Aussie star will have a strong showing.

“You’d never write anyone off with the talent that Nick has… If he gets to the quarters, the semis, it wouldn’t surprise me,” Rafter said.

It is still premature to make predictions about Kyrgios’ chances of making a deep run at the Australian Open 2025. But his performance at the Brisbane International in the lead-up to the year’s first Grand Slam can offer a glimpse of what to expect from the unpredictable Aussie player.

Earlier this week, news broke that the NBA’s viewership has been down 48% since 2012. Since then, fans, analysts, and current and former players have shared their views on why that’s the case. Some flagged legitimate concerns, like the games being spread out on several networks, making it difficult for the average fan to watch them. However, others have used this opportunity to bash the product, which Kevin Durant believes is counterproductive.

The Suns superstar expressed disdain for the incessant complaining about the league on social media. He quoted a post on X that read,

“Don’t get me wrong– there’s *SO* much the NBA could do better. But at the same time– all the “What’s wrong with the NBA” talk is also insufferable. The entire discourse is just nostalgic, opinion-based complaints & whining, with zero regard for facts/data/research whatsoever.”

The 14-time All-Star agreed with the take and advised fans to be less cynical. He wrote,

“Good morning! I agree…Enjoy today’s slate of games.”

As much as he appreciates the support he gets from his fans, Durant despises the NBA fandom. He has voiced his frustration about supporters being needlessly critical of the league.

However, his annoyance about that pales in comparison to the resentment he harbors toward fans who needlessly trash and disrespect one player to prop up another.

Kevin Durant wasn’t pleased with Jokic vs. Embiid debate

Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid’s duel for the MVP award in the 2022-23 season brought the worst out of fans on social media. While the two centers dominated on the court, off it, fans called them names, downplayed their impact, and even claimed that they were statpadders who didn’t care about their team.

That didn’t sit right with Durant. He co-signed a since-deleted post on X that called fans “losers” for hating on Jokic and Embiid, calling it the truth. It read,

“It’s hilarious that y’all hate on Jokic to hype up Embiid, then in the playoffs you hate on both for eventually losing. So just say it how it is. Y’all love building players up to tear them down. It helps you get over the fact that you’re losers.”

This isn’t the only time the 2x NBA champion voiced his contempt for fans indulging in talking smack about one player to hype their favorite. In an incredible rant on X over a post that criticized Team USA celebrating a narrow win over Jokic and Serbia in the 2024 Paris Olympics, he bashed supporters who indulge in hero-worshipping, writing,

“A lot of huge egos who believe they are the reason for the advancement of a sport. ALOT of idol worship, a lot of hate and division based off wins and losses, a lot of disrespect of the work being put in by these incredible athletes, mostly by people who don’t know what it takes to be good at anything besides talking…go do something and get out the way.”

Is Durant right? Yes. Will it change anything? Probably not. So will he ever stop picking fights with fans and calling them out on social media over a lost cause? All signs point to never.

Mario Andretti was one of the most aggressive F1 drivers back in the 1970s and 80s. So, when asked which current driver’s style he identifies with the most, the American did not hesitate to name the newly crowned four-time champion, Max Verstappen.

“Max,” replied Andretti with a smile on the Drive to Wynn podcast. The former World Champion went on to add that, while his aggressive driving style was very similar to that of Verstappen, he was unable to achieve the same level of success as the Red Bull driver.

He explained that, in his era, it was far more critical for each racer to manage their pace throughout the race.

“You look back, what actually was a negative for me, I was too aggressive right from the start of the race. I didn’t have the patience“, Andretti explained. Therefore, he added that he would have loved to race today.

Andretti explained that regulation changes have significantly improved racing today, allowing drivers to race flat out without worrying about engine failures or other reliability issues. He noted that, as a result, most racers now finish their races, and it is rare for them to retire due to mechanical problems. “98% of the field ends the race the way they start.”

“Looking back, I said ‘Man would I love to be racing today, driving myself’,” Andretti concluded, suggesting that he feels he would have tasted much more success had he been an F1 driver today.

Back when Colorado’s Athletic Director Rick George decided to hire Deion Sanders for the Buffs’ football program, he never imagined the scale of success that players would achieve under Coach Prime. Fast forward to two years, and Buffs star Travis Hunter has won the Heisman and 7 other individual awards. History has been made, and Rick is promised that the success will be celebrated to the fullest.

In Rick’s interview with DNVR Buffs shortly after Hunter’s historic Heisman win, the Colorado athletic director couldn’t hide his pride and happiness in the Buffs’ 2024 season. A particularly strong one that even saw them secure a bowl game.

Rick, in particular, highlighted Shedeur and Travis Hunter as the flagbearers for the program’s success story and thanked them for making the Buffs so significant in college football.

Adding to the Buffs’ impressive season, Travis Hunter’s individual accolades, Rick conceded that celebrations are in order for the special year his football department has had. And rightfully so.

“We’re going to have a celebration because this was a special year for Colorado football in general. But to have Shedeur do what he does and Travis do what he did, winning the Heisman and bringing all this spotlight on our program, it’s a special year and we’re going to make sure that we celebrate it,” Rick announced.

As happy as Rick was with the award haul by Travis, it also poses a slight headache when it comes to the display and storage of the awards. Back in 2022, Rick George introduced Legacy Hall, a Hall of Fame legacy wing where the best from Colorado and their recognitions are presented. And this year’s tally will be put on display there.

The problem, however, is the unexpectedly high number of awards that the Buffaloes have won this season. Rick was therefore confused about how to display all those awards in a not-so-big area, which is the Legacy Hall, and even asked for help on the podcast.

“Well, sh*t, I don’t know. I’m gonna need somebody [to help with the Legacy Hall]. Somebody’s gonna have to help me because we got the Heisman, we’ve got the Thorpe Award from last year, we’ve got the Biletnikoff… and the Walter Camp Award.”

That said, celebrations may already be in order from Travis’ side. As per reports, the Buffs star flew 50+ teammates and staff to New York for the Heisman ceremony. With all his well-wishers by his side, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Hunter take them out for a celebration after the ceremony.

It wouldn’t be hard to imagine the Buffs team partying hard for the next few days. They have certainly earned it.

Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola has described the conflict of emotions he felt when selling Dominic Solanke in the summer to Tottenham for £65m, after such a successful season at the Vitality Stadium.

Having finished with 48 points in the 2023/24 season, Bournemouth recorded their best-ever tally in the English top flight. Solanke proved a huge part in that success, though, scoring 19 Premier League goals, so losing him certainly made things more difficult at the beginning of this campaign.

Regardless, the club were expecting interesting in their star striker.

Bournemouth boss Iraola happy for Solanke to challenge himself

“It was always a strong possibility that he’d leave,” Iraola concedes to FourFourTwo. “Not after just the goals that he scored, but the performances he had last season. He was so consistent.”

The fact the move went through on August 10, just a week before the start of the season, did make things harder to deal with. But despite losing such a complete striker, Iraola almost welcomed the move – for Solanke, as much as anything.

“He wasn’t called up for the Euros, and that didn’t really help us – it made it hard to convince Dom to stay,” Iraola adds.

“There’s part of you as a coach where obviously you don’t want to lose him because your job becomes harder. But there’s a part of you that wants him to go to a higher level, to do well and get the recognition he deserves. Even though he plays for Spurs, we’re all still cheering for him and we’re glad he’s back in the national team.

“It’s a challenge for us all. We have to replace not just his goals but everything he gave to us with different kinds of players. Everyone has to contribute.”

Bournemouth have replaced Solanke well, with Evanilson arriving for a club-record £40m. With the Brazilian up front and other players improving, the Cherries are undoubtedly fighting for Europe and are well on course for an even larger points haul than their best-ever last term – breaking the 50-point barrier is certainly within sight.

The Warriors’ trip to Houston last week was a frustrating experience for Draymond Green. Not only did the team lose 91-90 and get eliminated from the Emirates NBA Cup but he also had to deal with a fan heckling him the entire game. The veteran forward lost his cool after the fan yelled “Stop being a b***h” and confronted him. He responded, “I’ll slap the s**t out of you… don’t do it!” before jogging to avoid causing a ruckus.

The Warriors star addressed the incident on the latest episode of the Draymond Green Podcast with Baron Davis. He claimed fans often cross the line when talking trash to players because they know the NBA will punish the stars with a hefty fine and a ban if they accost troublemakers in the stands. Green said,

“I’ve said it for years bro, the NBA kind of empowers these fans to say what it is they wanna say. Because I know as a fan that if for instance, this guy called me the b-word… Just to feel the comfort to say that… The NBA empowers these losers to say that because [they know] if [they] say something and [I] say something back, [I’m] gonna get fined $25,000… Stop empowering these losers. If they know they gonna get their ass kicked they won’t say that.”

The veteran forward added that he would have cornered the fan and cussed him out had it not been the fourth quarter of a knockout game. However, he kept his composure and jogged away for his team’s sake.

Green is no stranger to getting into skirmishes with fans and voicing his frustration. He even pleaded with the league to punish troublemakers more severely to discourage it.

Draymond Green wants legal action against fans who cross the line

In a game between the Bucks and Warriors in December 2022, the four-time NBA champion asked the referees to take action against a heckler and they obliged. Security personnel escorted the fan out of the building while a chorus of boos rained inside the Fiserv Forum.

In the post-game press conference, an agitated Green revealed that the fan had threatened his life, which irked him and prompted him to have them booted out. The four-time NBA champion added that while the fan would likely be banned from arenas, the punishment doesn’t fit the crime. He said,

“There are no real consequences. Yeah, you can’t come back to the game, or even if you get arrested, nothing really happens … You just hope it gets to a point where these leagues can work with legislators to implement laws, because that’s the only thing that’s really going to correct the issue.”

Green believes the NBA letting fans walk away with a slap on the wrist after misbehaving with players will only encourage others to do it. The league did not heed his suggestion. Fans continue taking advantage of the lack of consequences for their actions while stars walk on eggshells, much to the Warriors icon’s frustration.

If there is one match in which a footballer would hope to avoid a red card, it is in a major final.

But on occasions, the pressure is all too much and the tension too great, causing a player to make a rash tackle or even to lose his head in a moment of violent conduct.

Usually, a red card in a final is bad news for the team reduced to 10 men, but some have held on for victory despite the numerical disadvantage.

Here, a look at some of the players from the men’s game who were sent off in major finals and why they were dismissed…

17. Mateo Kovačić

Already on a booking, Chelsea’s Mateo Kovačić was shown a second yellow card for clashing with Arsenal’s Granit Xhaka in the 2021 FA Cup final loss to Arsenal.

Three years earlier, Chelsea’s Victor Moses was dismissed for two bookable offences in another defeat for the Blues against Arsenal. The second yellow was given for a dive and Anthony Taylor was the referee for both matches.

16. Gabriel Jesús

Gabriel Jesús scored Brazil’s second goal in added time at the end of the first half in the 2019 Copa América final against Peru.

With 20 minutes left, Jesús was shown a second yellow card for jumping on Peru’s Carlos Zambrano, but Tite’s side went on to win and added another late goal from the penalty spot through Richarlison in a 3-1 win at the Maracanã.

15. Kylian Mbappé

Paris Saint-Germain lost the 2019 Coupe de France final to Rennes on penalties following a 2-2 draw at the Stade de France.

Pegged back after taking a 2-0 lead inside 21 minutes, PSG were without Kylian Mbappé for the shootout as the French forward was sent off for a dangerous studs-up challenge on Damien Da Silva late in extra time.

14. Cristiano Ronaldo

The 2013 Copa del Rey final was played at the Santiago Bernabéu, but it was not a happy night for Los Blancos, beaten 2-1 by city rivals Atlético after extra time.

Both José Mourinho and Cristiano Ronaldo were sent off in an ill-tempered finale as Madrid were beaten by Atleti for the first time since 1999. Miranda scored the winner for Diego Simeone’s side in the eighth miute of extra time.

13. Pablo Zabaleta

Manchester City endured a frustrating afternoon against Wigan Athletic in the 2013 FA Cup final at Wembley.

Unable to find a breakthrough, City had defender Pablo Zabaleta sent off for a second bookable offence six minutes from time and went on to concede a goal to Ben Watson right at the end as Wigan won the cup for the first time in their history.

12. Juan Cuadrado

Juventus were level with Real Madrid at 1-1 after 45 minutes of the 2017 Champions League final in Cardiff, but not much went right for the Bianconeri in the second half.

Casemiro later made it 2-1, Cristiano Ronaldo added his second and with six minutes left, substitute Juan Cuadrado was sent off for a second bookable offence. The Colombian’s push on Sergio Ramos was hugely exaggerated by the Madrid captain, but referee Felix Brych produced the yellow card and Juve were down to 10 men. Marco Asensio went on to add a fourth goal for Los Blancos in the final minute.

11. Kevin Moran

Given the longevity of the FA Cup, it is perhaps surprising that the first red card in a final did not arrive until 1985.

Manchester United’s Kevin Moran was the recipient after scything down Everton’s Peter Reid. It is a pretty clear red card by today’s standards, but United’s players protested furiously. Despite the setback, the Red Devils went on to win the match 1-0 after extra time.

10. Yvon Le Roux

A centre-back who played for Brest, Monaco, Nantes, Marseille and Paris Saint-Germain, Yvon Le Roux was part of the France side which won Euro 1984.

Le Roux was dismissed for a second bookable offence after 85 minutes, becoming the first player ever to be sent off in a European Championship final, but Les Bleus held on for a 2-0 win.

9. Marcos Rojo

Argentina lost to Chile on penalties in the final of the 2015 Copa América and a year later, history repeated itself with another shootout defeat for the Albiceleste at the hands of La Roja.

In the 2016 Copa América Centenario showpiece, the game finished goalless again. Both teams were reduced to 10 men in the first half, with Chile’s Marcelo Díaz sent off for a second bookable offence after 28 minutes and Argentina’s Marcos Rojo dismissed a quarter of an hour later following a foul on Arturo Vidal.

8. Marcel Desailly

Booked early in the second half of the 1998 World Cup final, Marcel Desailly was given his marching orders with 68 minutes on the clock after scything down Cafu.

France were 2-0 up at the time and Brazil were unable to capitalise on their numerical advantage at the Stade de France. Emmanuel Petit went on to add a third for Les Bleus in stoppage time.

7. Gustavo Dezotti

Gustvo Dezotti’s international career was short and is best remembered for his red card in the 1990 World Cup final.

The former Argentina striker was booked in the fifth minute and was later shown a straight red card for kicking out at Jürgen Kohler close to the corner flag in the closing stages. He became the second player to be sent off in a World Cup final as Argentina finished the match with nine men in a 1-0 defeat to West Germany.

6. Didier Drogba

Didier Drogba became the second player to be sent off in a European Cup final after he was shown a red card for slapping Manchester United’s Nemanja Vidić late in extra time in the 2008 showpiece.

The dismissal cost Chelsea as Drogba would have been one of the players to take a penalty in the shootout, which the Blues went on to lose 6-5. Drogba was the hero in the 2012 final, though, scoring Chelsea’s equaliser against Bayern Munich and the winning penalty in the shootout.

5. John Heitinga

Netherlands midfielder Nigel de Jong was fortunate to escape a red card in the 2010 World Cup final against Spain for a high kick on Xabi Alonso, but Dutch defender John Heitinga was sent off in the clash at Soccer City.

Already booked, John Heitinga was shown a second yellow card by referee Howard Webb towards the end of the first period of extra time for a foul on Andrés Iniesta. Seven minutes later, Iniesta scored the winning goal for Spain.

4. Gregore

Botafogo midfielder Gregore was sent off in the 2024 Copa Libertadores final after catching Atlético Mineiro’s Fausto Vera on the head and drawing blood in a horror challenge.

That reduced Botafogo to 10 men with virtually the entire match still left to play, but the Rio de Janeiro side were able to soak up the pressure and seal a 3-1 win to take the trophy for the first time in their history.

3. Pedro Monzón

Pedro Monzón was a half-time substitute for Argentina in the 1990 World Cup final against West Germany, but the defender only lasted 20 minutes on the pitch.

Monzón brought down Jürgen Klinsmann with a wild challenge and became the first player ever to be sent off in a World Cup final.

2. Jens Lehmann

Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann became the first player ever to be sent off in a European Cup final as he was dismissed for a foul on Barcelona’s Samuel Eto’o outside the area in the 2006 Champions League showpiece in Paris.

Ludovic Giuly put the ball into the net, but the goal was not allowed and Lehmann was sent off instead. Arsenal went on to take the lead through Sol Campbell, but the Gunners were unable to hold on with 10 men as goals from Eto’o and Juliano Belletti saw Barça take the trophy.

1. Zinédine Zidane

Zinédine Zidane’s wonderful career seemed set for a fairytale ending in the 2006 World Cup final – the French legend’s last game as a professional footballer.

Zidane scored from the penalty spot as Les Bleus took the lead against Italy in Berlin, but was sent off in disgrace in extra time after headbutting Marco Materazzi in the chest. France went on to lose in the shootout.

For NASCAR drivers, besides their families, the championship trophy occupies center stage in their minds. Regardless of how many titles they’ve claimed, the hunger for more remains insatiable and Brad Keselowski exemplified this mindset back in 2015.

With a 2012 Sprint Cup Series trophy, the 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series title, and several other accolades to his name, Keselowski’s ambitions remain undiminished.

Keselowski revealed just how much a second title in the Cup Series as an owner-operator means to him. During Jeff Gluck’s 12 Questions segment, he was posed with a hypothetical: If a genie offered him a championship in exchange for giving up his favorite hobby forever, would he take the deal? Without missing a beat, Keselowski answered yes.

The RFK Racing co-owner said, “I would take it and Paige (White, his girlfriend) would definitely take it because my favorite hobby is Madden football (the video game) and she hates it. I wouldn’t hesitate a second… I’d burn every copy I had if it was a guarantee I’d win another title. Not even a question.”

When pressed further about whether he would give up video games entirely, not just Madden, Keselowski doubled down, stating, “Yeah, I’d give them up. The championship is the No. 1 priority I have in my life.”

Keselowski’s performance since 2015

Since expressing his desire to win another championship, Keselowski delivered several strong and consistent performances but has yet to add another title to his resume.

The closest he came to clinching a championship was in 2020. That season, he won four races, finishing P4 at Martinsville in the penultimate race and securing a runner-up finish in the finale at Phoenix.

During his tenure with Team Penske, piloting the #2 entry, Keselowski was a model of consistency. He never finished worse than P8 in the standings. However, his performance took a dip after joining RFK Racing as co-owner. In 2022, he ended the season with a disappointing P24.

By 2023, he rebounded impressively, finishing P8, but in 2024, he was eliminated after the Round of 16, falling short of a deeper playoff run. With momentous changes implemented within the team this season, Keselowski is hopeful for a turnaround.

Whether it’s through strategic adjustments or perhaps a bit of luck, fans remain optimistic that he may reclaim championship glory—hopefully without needing a genie to grant his wish or give up his beloved hobby to achieve it.